I call this meeting to order.
Welcome to the fourth meeting of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.
The Committee is meeting today to hear from representatives of the House of Commons, as well as Public Works and Government Services Canada, about the renovation of Centre Block.
Today's meeting will be hybrid, pursuant to the order passed by the House on Thursday, November 25, 2021. MPs may attend in person or by using the Zoom application.
Proceedings are broadcast on the House of Commons website. For information, I would add that the webcast will always show the person speaking, not the entire Committee.
I will use this opportunity to remind all participants and observers that taking screen shots or photos of their screen is not permitted.
Due to the pandemic, to properly ensure health and safety, all those who participate in a meeting in person must maintain a physical distance of 2 meters and wear a non-medical mask when circulating in the room, as per the recommendations of public health authorities as well as the Board of Internal Economy's directive on October 19, 2021 and the order of the House on November 25, 2021. It is strongly recommended that a mask be worn at all times, including when in at your seat. Good hygiene must also be practised by using the hand sanitizer at the entrance to the room.
To ensure an orderly meeting, I would like to outline a few rules to follow.
Members and witnesses may speak in the official language of their choice. Interpretation services are available for this meeting. You have the choice at the bottom of your screen of either floor, English or French audio. If interpretation is lost, please inform me immediately and we will ensure interpretation is properly restored before resuming the proceedings. The “raise hand” feature at the bottom of the screen can be used at any time if you wish to speak or to alert the chair.
For members participating in person, proceed as you usually would when the whole committee is meeting in person in a committee room. Keep in mind the Board of Internal Economy's guidelines for mask use and health protocols.
Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name. If you are on the video conference, please click on the microphone icon to unmute yourself. For those in the room, your microphones will be controlled as normal by the proceedings and verification officer. When speaking, please speak slowly and clearly. When you are not speaking, your mike should be on mute.
I remind you that all comments by members and witnesses should be addressed through the chair. With regard to a speaking list, the committee clerk and I will do the best we can to maintain a consolidated order of speaking for all members, whether they are participating virtually or in person.
I would now like to welcome our witnesses. They will be providing us with a presentation to update us on the progress of the Centre Block rehabilitation. Their presentation goes on longer than the usual five minutes afforded for an opening statement. I believe that in this instance that is justified so that we may be fully briefed on the current status of the work. They will be with us for up to 90 minutes. Then, as I indicated, the committee will move in camera to conduct some committee business.
Mr. Wright, please proceed with your presentation. Welcome to PROC.